Josh Donaldson, a converted catcher, was toiling in the minors a year ago. Now he's an All-Star candidate.

Josh Donaldson, a converted catcher, was toiling in the minors a year ago. Now he's an All-Star candidate.

Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images

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Josh Donaldson watches the flight of his solo homerun in the seventh inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Seattle Mariners at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Josh Donaldson watches the flight of his solo homerun in the seventh inning. The Oakland Athletics played the Seattle Mariners at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, June 16, 2013.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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A's Donaldson deserving of All-Star berth

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Adam Rosales sat at his locker before Friday night's game, All-Star ballot in hand. Rosales looked serious, almost businesslike, as he contemplated his choices. A's players received their ballots earlier in the day, and they're due Sunday.

So are they mounting any sort of campaign to send third baseman Josh Donaldson to New York for the July 16 game?

Donaldson does, absolutely. So why not get organized? This is no time for politeness. This is time for political savvy, for a united front, for shameless and relentless ballot stuffing.

This is time for Donaldson's teammates to help send him to New York.

Third base is stacked in the American League, no question. The fans will take care of presumptive starter Miguel Cabrera, as they should - he's already received 4.3 million votes, more than twice as many as second-place Manny Machado.

Cabrera - who hit two more home runs Friday night - actually deserves his own All-Star Game, on his own planet, on his own network.

"He's ridiculous," Donaldson said.

But the A's also deserve more than a token pitcher (or two), their custom in recent years. They deserve their first position player since catcher Ramon Hernandez in 2003 - a decade-long gap that speaks volumes about the franchise's focus on pitching - and Donaldson deserves the call, whether from the player vote or American League manager Jim Leyland.

It's worth noting what happened in '03, the first year major-league players were involved in the All-Star selection process. Then-pitching coach Rick Peterson mobilized the clubhouse and convinced Oakland players to stand up for their teammates.

Not coincidentally, four A's - Hernandez, starting pitchers Barry Zito and Mark Mulder, and reliever Keith Foulke - went to the game in Chicago. (Quick trivia: Hernandez's selection marked the 18th consecutive year the A's sent at least one position player to the All-Star Game, dating to 1986.)

But Donaldson's candidacy involves more than his impressive first-half numbers (.312 average, 12 homers, 52 RBIs, .888 OPS) , which he strengthened with two hits and an RBI on Friday night.

The A's are no longer a cute little story out here on the West Coast. They're one of the best teams in baseball - they have the American League's third-best record - and Donaldson has been their best everyday player.

This raises a semi-philosophical, midsummer question: Shouldn't you vote for the top player on one of the league's top teams?

"I think you should, absolutely," shortstop Jed Lowrie said. "I think it would be a mistake not to - when a team has played as well as we have, the most consistent player deserves to go. Guys on winning teams are usually voted in."

Donaldson embodies the A's: unlikely, fearless, offbeat. His biggest problem, of course, is his third-base competition. Cabrera is hitting .377, with 24 homers, 81 RBIs and a 1.146 OPS. See, he really does live on his own planet.

Among the top backup candidates, Donaldson has the most RBIs, second-highest OPS (behind Evan Longoria), second-highest batting average (behind Machado) and third-most home runs (behind Longoria and Adrian Beltre). Really, the AL roster should include at least three third basemen, given the depth at the position.

Machado might draw more support from players, given his dynamic style and higher visibility, but Donaldson is starting to gather some national attention. FoxSports.com baseball writer Jon Morosi sent a series of tweets Friday, acknowledging the crowd of All-Star contenders at third base but ultimately declaring, "Donaldson is worthy of a spot on the team."

That can't hurt.

Donaldson, despite his self-assured personality, is trying to downplay his chances. He said he'd vote for Cabrera, and he resisted any suggestions of even making a good-natured plea for his teammates to vote for him.

"I haven't said anything to anybody - hopefully, I've earned their respect," he said. "It would be awesome to make the All-Star team. That's something I wouldn't have dreamed could become reality. Even just being in the conversation is humbling."

Donaldson brings the best back story, as a converted catcher who burst into prominence in the past 10-plus months. At this time last year, he was toiling in Triple-A Sacramento and trying to find his swing after early-season struggles in Oakland.

He found it, especially in the clutch: This season, he's hitting .382 in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings.

Now this all might not be enough for Donaldson to land in New York two weeks from Tuesday - unless his teammates rise to the occasion.